Vodafone has announced the launch of UK's first pay-as-you-go third-generation (3G) data card. The Mobile Connect Prepay 3G data card is expected to cost around £199 excluding VAT.
This card allows users access to the network's 3G and GPRS data in much the same way as recharging a SIM card on the mobile phone. The initial pack is supplied with easy-to-install software as well as 10 MB of free data. Additional data is priced in the range of £3 per megabyte in the UK and £9
per megabyte outside the country.
The launch of the new service is being viewed as a direct challenge to the Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) services, which are threatening to engulf the market due to their overwhelming popularity. The CEO of Vodafone Germany, Fritz Joussen was very emphatic when he said, "We have to move fast. If we don't, fixed line usage might move to broadband." The new service would also be on par with that of the currently available wi-fi services though the 3G one is costlier than the wi-fi one. Through the introduction of the 3G services, Vodafone hopes to garner renewable subscriptions and ensure customer satisfaction. Analysts believe that in the long term this service would deliver a higher margin than the current pay-per-call services.
The Mobile Connect Prepay 3G service will cover up to 65 percent of UK's population. The card can be used internationally in Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Portugal, Romania, South Africa, Spain and Sweden on 3G. It can also be utilized on the GPRS in several other countries.
Posted
on : Wed, 20 Jul 2005 19:30 GMT | General News
By : Paula Jenkins
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